Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Flood sacks 4,000 houses, destroys 13,000 farms in Cross River

The Cross River State Emergency Management
Agency, Cross River (CR-SEMA) Tuesday disclosed that flood destroyed no fewer
than 4,070 houses and 13,147 farms in the state.

The incident occurred between
August and September, 2016.

John Inaku, director-general
of the agency released the figures while addressing journalists in Calabar,
Cross River State, saying that 46 communities in seven local government areas
were worst hit by the flood.

He named the LGAs as: Ikom,
Etung, Obubra, Biase, Yala, Abi, and Ogoja.

His words: “From our
statistics, 36 houses were destroyed by flood in six communities in Ikom, while
16 houses were destroyed by flood in five communities in Etung,” he said.

“Fifty-six houses were
destroyed in six communities in Obubra, 902 houses destroyed in seven
communities in Biase, and 1,131 houses were destroyed in nine communities in
Yala.

“Also, 29 houses were
destroyed by flood in four communities in Abi while 1,900 houses were destroyed
in nine communities in Ogoja.

“On farmlands, 221
farms were affected in Ikom, 76 in Etung, 3,100 in Obubra, 2,150 in Biase,
1,200 in Yala, 1,800 in Abi and 4,600 in Ogoja.

“So far, we have
provided relief materials such as foodstuffs to the majority of them who are
mostly farmers and local government workers.

“We have also moved a
large number of the displaced persons to a higher ground where they are safe.

“The state Governor,
Prof. Ben Ayade, has promised to put resources together so that we can build a
permanent camp for the displaced persons.

“We have already
acquired two boats used in evacuating the affected people to a higher ground.

“The governor is
putting things together in order to make life comfortable for them,” he said.